1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a control apparatus for a vehicular automatic transmission, and more particularly, to the control of an automatic transmission that is configured to be equipped with a torque converter with a lockup clutch and a shifting portion.
2. Description of Related Art
A vehicular automatic transmission that is configured to be equipped with a torque converter with a lockup clutch and a shifting portion is well known. An automatic transmission 6 of Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2004-225879 (JP 2004-225879 A) is also such an example. In the automatic transmission of Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2004-225879 (JP 2004-225879 A), it is described that a load of auxiliaries such as an air-conditioner, an alternator and the like is calculated, that a lockup release vehicle speed as a threshold of a vehicle speed for releasing a lockup clutch is calculated in accordance with the load of the auxiliaries, and that the lockup clutch is released based on the calculated lockup release vehicle speed. In concrete terms, the lockup release speed is set in such a manner as to rise in proportion to the load of the auxiliaries. Thus, the deceleration is restrained from becoming too large.